针对中国的纺织品特保条款“市场扰乱”概念解析

Clarification of the Concept of"Market Disruption"in Special Safeguard Provision Specifically Designed for Chinese Textiles

《中国加入工作组报告书》第242条是针对中国纺织品设立的特保条款,具有歧视性质,但构成中国入世的法律承诺之一。'市场扰乱'是启动第242条特保措施的主要要件之一。但第242条对此未作明确解释。该概念的解释对于保护中国在此条款下的合法权益和防止、减少其他WTO成员对此滥用有重要意义。'市场扰乱'概念必须依据国际法解释原则解释,而该概念在国际纺织品贸易领域内的演变构成该概念解释的主要依据之一。中国在WTO法律概念解释和适用领域必须坚持自己的话语权,否则就永远不能摆脱欧美发达国家所主导设立的游戏规则框架下所处的被动地位。中国必须合理有效地采取和发展对自己最有利的'市场扰乱'概念解释。因此,笔者相信即使在和欧美就纺织品问题达成协议后,仅就欧美法规中对第242条的不合理解释部分在WTO专家组程序提出质疑也是中国所应当考虑的合理、有效选择之一。

Para.242 of the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China is a special safeguard provision specifically designed for Chinese textiles."Market disruption"is one of the crucial conditions for initiating Para.242 procedure.However,Para.242 does not provide a clear definition of the concept.The interpretation of the concept is very significant for protecting China’s legitimate interests under the provision,and for preventing and reducing the abuse of the pro-vision by other WTO members."Market disruption"must be interpreted according to principles for interpreting international law,and the evolution of the concept in the area of international textile trade is one of the major considerations for the interpretation of the concept.China must insist on its right to speak in the interpretation of WTO rules and concepts.Otherwise,China will always be ruled by the rules of game formulated predominantly by the US and European countries.China must adopt and develop the interpretation of"market disruption"in a logical and efficient way,which suits the best interests of China.For such purpose,the author believes that after the conclusion of the textile agreements with the EU and US,asking WTO panels to make a ruling on the legality of some of the domestic rules of the EU and US on Para.242 still remains to be a reasonable and effective option for China to consider.